Live Rats, Houseflies Found At K Rustom; FDA Suspends Licence In Food Safety Crackdown
Live Rats, Houseflies Found At K Rustom; FDA Suspends Licence In Food Safety Crackdown
Mumbai, July 9, 2026: Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food business licence of Mumbai’s iconic ice cream outlet K Rustom & Co. after inspectors uncovered serious food safety and hygiene violations during a surprise inspection.
The action was taken as part of a statewide enforcement drive conducted on July 7 and 8 under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. During the inspection of the Churchgate-based outlet, officials found live rats and houseflies inside the premises, expired food products, lapses in cold chain maintenance, and failures to maintain mandatory food safety records.
According to the FDA, the outlet had violated hygiene standards prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. Following the inspection, the department suspended the establishment’s licence under Section 32(3) of the Food Safety and Standards Act.
The inspection of K Rustom formed part of a wider statewide crackdown in which the FDA inspected 16 hotels, restaurants, and dhabas. Improvement notices were issued to 10 establishments, while the licences of three food businesses were suspended for serious violations.
Apart from K Rustom, the FDA suspended the licence of Hotel Patilwada in Dhule for operating without a valid food business licence. Another suspension was issued to Shri Hira Sweets Pvt. Ltd. in Nagpur after inspectors reportedly found a dead rat near a food preparation area, in violation of food safety norms.
The FDA also carried out six raids across Maharashtra, seizing banned food products, including pan masala and gutkha, worth ₹9.60 lakh. One FIR was registered in connection with the sale, transport, and distribution of prohibited food products, leading to the arrest of one individual.
In a separate enforcement action, officials seized non-prohibited food items, including milk, dairy products, and jaggery, valued at ₹7.51 lakh from five establishments across the state as part of the ongoing food safety drive.
